Have you ever been told by your massage therapist after receiving a massage to drink plenty of water? You may ask yourself, ''Why is this"?The body is mostly composed of fluids. The skin holds the fluids in as well as holding other structures together - like a body suit. Fluids in the body consist of lymph, blood, cerebrospinal fluid as well as other fluids as carriers to help in the transportation, distribution and elimination process. It thereby supports the ability to heal, restore, maintain and regulate the body. Daily water intake is critical to maintaining this process. The act of getting a massage sets up the environment of distribution of fluids by manipulation of the muscles and soft tissues. Toxins are carried through the lymph and blood. Drinking water afterwards facilitates the disbursement and elimination of them.The average person loses several pints of water a day through exhalation, elimination and evaporation (including sweating). Toxins can accumulate in the body if the transportation of new blood and nutrition is not supplied to the body, which can create long term side effects such as poor performance and health issues. After exercising, lactic acid is excreted, which is a by-product of the waste in the body. Drinking water helps to flush the system.A lot of times we look at nature or man's own inventions to mimic a state of health and balance. Reflect on what a mechanic does to your car in order to maintain it efficiently. He runs diagnostics, flushing and changing fluids on a regular basis. After all, you can’t keep the same amount of gas in your car’s tank if you expect to go anywhere. You have to continue to fill the gas tank in order to get where you are going or you run out of gas. Our bodies are engineered much like finely precisioned automobiles. You wouldn’t let sludge build up in your car's engine for very long before you would notice a difference in performance. Or, consider the example of a dam. If your keep the same amount of water stored up behind it without renewing the source or releasing any of the overflow you would generate stagnation. Drinking water daily creates the opportunity to generate better health and optiminal healing. The environment, diet and lifestyle can all create toxins that can accumulate over time. The practice of daily consumption of water keeps the system flowing. Next time your massage therapist recommends drinking water - Go with the flow!